Know That Love Is Truly Timeless
by starlight.moon.princess
Summary: "And maybe that was love. Being so vulnerable and allowing someone else in so far they could hurt you, but they also give you everything." -Christine Feehan. :: A collection of drabbles and oneshots about the love shared between a variety of pairings, both het and slash. :: Latest - RemusTonks
1. Trapped - TedNarcissa

**This chapter has been entered in The Ultimate Pairing Drabble Competition.**

**Pairing: Ted/Narcissa**

**Word Count: 330**

**Prompt: caged**

* * *

They were trapped in cages; the both of them, bound by what society expected them to be.

She was the beautiful daughter of wealthy pure blood supremacists, betrothed to the heir to one of the richest families of the wizarding world. He was the muggleborn husband of her disowned elder sister. By all rights, they should have been the bitterest of enemies, and yet, they weren't.

They'd first truly laid eyes on each other when he'd come to collect Andromeda from her house the night she left. Of course, they'd bumped into each other at Hogwarts, but that was different. Two students from different houses, one Slytherin and the other Hufflepuff, both in different years coupled with widely contrasting political beliefs and blood status...they hadn't really paid much attention to each other.

But on that fateful night, when Andromeda abandoned her family for the man she was so desperately in love with, they had finally caught a good look of each other.

They both knew that there could never be anything between them. Narcissa enjoyed the life of the pampered wealthy pure blood wife, and Ted would not leave Andromeda after everything she had forsaken for him.

But in that one moment that they caught each other's eye, they fell in love. It was a love that would never be more than those few seconds, but it was deep enough to last a lifetime.

In that moment, Narcissa Black and Theodore Tonks loved enough for the rest of their lives.

The two of them were caged by the world they had been born into, and the roles they had been forced to play. In another life, another world, another time, they might have been happy together, like they were meant to be. But in this life, that was impossible.

They were caged, but they still loved. And though that love would never see the light of day, the satisfaction of knowing that their love was returned was enough for them.

* * *

_For:_

_The If You Dare Challenge, Prompt 587. Caged_


	2. Broken Wishes - unrequitCharlieHermione

The first time he sees her is when he returns home for the Quidditch World Cup and the Triwizard Tournament.

She's jabbering excitedly with Ron, her bushy brown hair – so unlike his own ginger mop – flying in the wind.

She may not be the prettiest girl he's ever seen, but that doesn't matter much when he sees the light in her eyes.

But she's barely fifteen, and he's nearly twenty-two. There's too great of an age difference between them to cross right now, so he promises himself he will wait for her to grow up before telling her his feelings.

* * *

The next time he sees her is when he returns home for Bill's wedding.

She's in the centre of the war that's tearing their world apart, and he wouldn't have been surprised if she was a bit more haggard this time. But she's just as beautiful and lively as the last time he saw her.

And she's seventeen now, and he could have told her how he feels – but the moment he sees her, he knows it's too late. Because she still has that very same light in her eyes, only this time, it's reserved for his littlest brother.

He never had her, but he can't help feeling like he's lost his world all the same.

* * *

She grows up and marries his brother, but he never stops watching her. He knows he shouldn't, but he never quite falls out of love with her.

And there's a tiny part of his heart that hopes and wishes and prays that she'll leave Ron, that she'll decide that she's in love with him. He knows it'll never happen, that it's _wrong_ of him to wish for that, but his heart will not listen.

And then, two years into their marriage, she turns up at his doorstep, tears streaming down her face. For a moment, his heart jumps in anticipation._ Maybe she's actually left Ron._

But the sheer devastation on her face makes it obvious that that's not why she's here. So he gathers the broken witch in his arms and brings her inside the house.

Slowly, through hiccupping breaths, she tells him the story. How Ron had gone on an Auror raid tonight even though she had begged him not to. How she'd been woken in the middle of the night to Kingsley Shacklebolt knocking on her door, and how she had just _known_ what had happened the moment she opened it.

Ron wasn't coming back to her.

And she'd never had the chance to tell him that she was pregnant.

* * *

Charlie Weasley has always _hopedandwishedandprayedfor_ just one chance with the woman he loves. He's always said that there's nothing he wouldn't give for it.

But he'd never wanted that chance to come at the cost of his baby brother. If he could, he would happily return the boy who was Hermione's life back to her.

And now that he no longer can, he'd give everything to turn back time.

Because he's wanted a chance with Hermione for years, but if never getting it means he could have his brother back, he'd take it in a heartbeat.

Some things are just not worth the sacrifice.

* * *

_For:_

_The If You Dare Challenge, Prompt 556. Broken Dreams_

_Character Diversity Bootcamp, Prompt 34. Light_

_HP Potions Competition, Dragon Tonic_

_Jigsaw Puzzle Challenge_

_Big Brother Competition_


	3. Life In Stasis - HorceSLycorisB

**This drabble has been entered in The Ultimate Pairing Drabble Competition.**

**Pairing: Horace Slughorn/Lycoris Black**

**Word Count: 343**

**Prompt: frozen**

* * *

At the start, they're simply two children in love.

It doesn't matter that she's the eldest child of the black family, expected to marry well and that even though he's a pureblood, he's from the poorest of families. It doesn't matter that they're the very antithesis of the idea of a good match.

Because when they're together, they're so much more than society's expectations of them.

When they're together, they're simply Horace Slughorn and Lycoris Black, two children in love.

But the thing about childhood is that it passes in the blink of an eye, and no matter how hard they try, society won't accept being ignored for much longer.

But the two of them, they're Slytherins to the core, and they've already planned for this very instance.

So she carries a vial of poison whenever she meets prospective husbands, and he secures a position as Hogwarts Potions Master. Soon enough, no one will dare to even attempt a marriage alliance with her, and he'll control enough influential figures to be suitable to marry her.

But ambition always comes at a price, and a single mention of the darkest of arts to the wrong student means that when the new Dark Lord rises, he fears for his life.

He's always loved more dearly than life itself, so he keeps her a secret. He dares not marry her and thrust her into the public eye, where she will undoubtedly become a way to target him.

She's a Black. She knows the danger the newest madman in the wizarding world imposes. So she keeps quiet, and they meet only in secret.

And then tragedy strikes.

There's a round of Dragon Pox going around, and somehow, she catches it.

_(She isn't supposed to catch it; she's already had it when she was child, notherpleasemerlinnother.)_

Once upon a time, they were simply Horace Slughorn and Lycoris Black, two children in love. But they've been cursed to live a frozen life.

Because childhood disappears very quickly, and the world has a way of destroying even the deepest relationsips.

* * *

_For:_

_The If You Dare Challenge, Prompt 672. Frozen Heart_

_Create-A-Potion Challenge_


	4. The Voyager - HermioneViktor

**Happy Birthday, .Reid. I hope you like this!**

* * *

It was the most tiring thing in the world, being famous.

Fame was something people craved. Most people would sell their soul if given the chance to become famous for even fifteen minutes.

Viktor? If given the choice, he would sell his soul too. But it wouldn't be to become famous. He had too much of that already.

No, if it was possible, Viktor Krum would sell his soul for a single day where no one knew his name, where there were no press photographers camped outside his house. A day where he could start a relationship without wondering if the woman was interested in him or him his fame, where he wouldn't have to be on his best behaviour in case the wrong people were watching.

He would sell his soul for single day where he could just be himself.

He knew that Karkaroff desperately wanted him to go with the Triwizard contingent to England. It would be his moment of crowning glory in front of the other Heads – to have a Champion who was the star Seeker of the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team.

He'd spun a vision with the most beautiful words – Viktor Krum, international superstar, a world-travelling voyager.

None of that changed the fact that they were nothing but words. Viktor was already an international superstar, and what did he need to a world-travelling voyager for? He saw more than enough places playing Quidditch.

But – there was a part of him that wondered if the press attention would be less in England.

(He knew better than to think that there would be no press attention at all. No matter where he was, there were always journalists and photographers that followed him.)

And maybe, just maybe, Dumbledore would do a better job of protecting his school from unwanted visitors than Karkaroff seemed to be able to.

So he went, and just as he had expected, his fame followed him there. Legions of giggling girls behind him every time he turned around. At least at Durmstrang, the students had gotten used to having them among him.

But there were no nosey journalists here except for the bug-eyed woman – Reeter, Peeter, something like that – and even she seemed more focussed on Harry Potter.

(And as much as he hated himself for wishing it upon another unwilling victim of fame, he couldn't help but hope that that was where she kept her attention for the remainder of the Tournament.)

And then he found out what the First Task was going to be.

Dragons!

What the British Ministry of Magic and the Heads of the schools were thinking, he didn't know. All he knew was that he was going to face one of the most dangerous magical creatures in world armed with only a wand. He needed to figure out a way of getting past it – his life literally depended on it.

That Task may just have been the most fortunate event of his life.

Because, sure, his giggling fans were still around in the library, but so was _she_.

She was unlike anyone he had ever seen before. Definitely not anyone's description of a classic beauty, she had frizzy brown hair and a face that seemed just a little too big for her.

But that wasn't what attracted his attention. The reason he noticed her was because she was the only person who didn't notice him at all. The only reason she ever turned to look at him was to throw him a dirty look over the amount of noise his fans were making.

She was the only person in his life apart from his family who so obviously didn't care about his fame, so it wasn't really surprising to him that he quickly fell for her.

So when the Yule Ball was announced, he knew exactly who he was going to ask. There was never any other choice. That mystery girl, whoever she was, was the only one he wanted to go with.

The next time he saw her in the library, he gathered up all of his courage and approached her. This was one of the most important – and nerve wracking – things he had ever done in his life, and the last thing he wanted was to mess it up.

She didn't notice when he sat down in front of her, so he somehow found his voice and said, "Miss -"

She looked up at the sound of his voice, her face conveying her surprise at seeing him in front of her. "It's Hermione Granger," she said. "Uh – can I help you with something?"

"I – I vanted to ask you if you vould be villing to go to the Yule Ball with me?"

Hermione's face showed even more surprise.

"_Me_?" she asked. "But you don't even know me! Why would you be asking _me_ to the Ball?"

"Vell – I have been vatching you in the library and trying to gather my courage to talk to you. And vhen they said there vas to be a Ball, I knew that I vished to take you as my date." He was fighting back a blush as he spoke. It was extremely embarrassing to admit this, but if she accepted, then it would all be worth it.

Hermione coloured a dark red at his admission, before nodding, suddenly shy. "I would love to," she whispered.

Viktor could have spent the rest of the day talking to her, or even just looking at her. Unfortunately, the bell for the next lecture rang at that very moment, and before he could say anything, Hermione had gathered her books and disappeared from the library.

Still, he couldn't stop a faint smile from spreading over his face. Yes, the First Task was undoubtedly the best thing that had ever happened to him.

* * *

_For:_

_The If You Dare Challenge, Prompt 990. Old and Dusty Library_

_Legendary Creatures Competition, Aka Manto_


	5. Fashion Shows in the Great Hall - HGSS

_For Lexen, who requested a silly Severus/Hermione._

* * *

"How on earth did you ever make me agree to this, woman?" Severus growled at her.

Hermione shot him a naughty smile. "I doubt you want me to explain it to you in public, Severus," she practically purred.

Severus simply grumbled, knowing that his conniving minx of a lover was telling the truth. Hermione had somehow managed to convince him to hold a fashion show for the girls of Hogwarts. According to her, if he insisted on announcing a Yule Ball after the year had already started, he also had to make sure that the girls got a chance to buy whichever dress robes or ball gowns they wanted.

That, combined with her extremely convincing argument a few nights ago, was the cause of the sight he was staring at: Madam Malkin and her ensemble of twittering robe and gown designers turning the Great Hall into a giant catwalk. He could practically see the Founders turning in their graves.

"Oh, stop frowning," Hermione's fond voice broke him out of his gloomy thoughts. "Just look at how happy all the girls are! I'm sure you can excuse the 'frivolous use of Hogwarts' infrastructure' for one night if it makes your students happy."

"Hermione, my job is not to keep the students happy by organising fashion shows for them! They come here to study, not to keep in touch with latest fashions in dress robes and ball gowns!"

"You know, the bat of the dungeons routine doesn't work when the person you're talking to knows you inside and out," Hermione said offhandedly, completely ignoring the dark tone in Severus' voice. "Intimidating me worked better _before_ we started sleeping together."

"Hemi-" Severus broke off mid statement and turned to glare at the girl who had run up to the two of them.

"Ummm…" she said, looking at Severus nervously.

"It's okay, Cynthia," Hermione said encouragingly, shooting Severus a dirty look. "You can say whatever you want to."

At the sound of Hermione's voice, Cynthia turned to face her and the nervous look on her face disappeared to be replaced by pure delight.

"Thank you _so_ much for organising this Professor!" she squealed, "I've found the _perfect_ gown for the Ball, and it's all because you thought of this!"

"It was my pleasure," Hermione said with a smile. "When we had a Ball during my time at Hogwarts, we were told before the start of the year so that we could buy our outfits. You girls didn't have that chance, and I really wanted to make it up to you somehow."

'Oh, this was even better than shopping before the start of the year! This way, we can make sure no one is wearing the exact same outfit! Besides, Madam Malkin's brought along a lot of exclusive designs that we're getting first look at!" Cynthia continued to squeal in excitement. "Anyways, I'd better get back to the show. My friends will be wondering where I've disappeared to."

As soon as the girl disappeared into the throng of teenage girls in the Great Hall, Hermione turned to Severus and cancelled the Muffliato charm he had placed around her.

"You're acting childish," she said, clicking her tongue in disapproval.

"Hermione, the last thing I want to listen to is how some hormonal teenager has found the perfect ball gown! I wouldn't even be here in the first place if you hadn't insisted that the Headmaster had to be there to supervise everyone!"

Hermione looked at him and sighed. Before he could ask her what was wrong, she wound her arm around his neck and pulled him down to meet her lips in a passionate kiss.

She wove her fingers through his hair, exploring his mouth thoroughly before releasing him.

"If you stop complaining and chaperone this like you're supposed, I can promise you you'll get a brilliant reward tonight," Hermione told him, throwing him a sinful smile.

On second thought…maybe the fashion show wasn't such a bad idea after all.

* * *

_For:  
_

_The If You Dare Challenge, Prompt 805. The Stage Is Set_

_Pairing Diversity Bootcamp, Prompt 1. glad rags_

_The Legendary Gods and Goddesses Competition, Ame no Uzume_

_Fantastic Beasts Challenge, Romanian Longhorn_


	6. Noises In My Head - PercyKingsley

**For the If You Dare Challenge (118. Silence); the Slash/Femmeslash Bootcamp (47. Noise); Fantastic Beasts Challenge (Yeti); the Legendary Creatures Competition (Naga) and the Popular Song Competition (Sugar We're Going Down)**

* * *

i.

The work.

It's always about the work.

The work keeps you sane, chases away the constant, all-encompassing noise. The work allows you to be normal, instead of the disturbed child you once were.

You hear the whispers of _oddpratswot_ in the background, but you still can't stop the work. After all, these whispers are better than those of _disturbedmentalinsane_ they once were.

ii.

You know that it's most likely that you'll live your life alone.

You tried having a relationship once, with Penelope. She could never understand your drive to work. She never would have been able to support you through the few episodes that still come and go.

You tell yourself it's okay. It's better to be alone than to try and make a life with someone who will never accept all of you.

You could never lie to yourself.

iii.

You know better than to fall in love. People always leave unless they're family, that's a lesson you've learned very well over the twenty-five years you've been alive.

That doesn't stop you from doing the most idiotic thing in existence and falling in love with your boss.

He's the only one in the Ministry who doesn't judge you for your need to work. He's the only one who doesn't hate you for being an _asskisserteacherspetsuckup_.

Is it really any surprise that you fall?

You know you'll never have him, but your heart still beats _kingsleykingsleykingsley_.

iv.

"You're beautiful," he whispers, holding you close.

Your entire romance has been a revelation to you. You're not supposed to have him – and yet here he is. The noise never stops for anything but the work – yet whenever you're around him, the only thing you hear is him.

You aren't supposed to be with someone, you're supposed to always be alone – yet he refuses to leave.

"I love you," he says, pulling you in for a kiss.

You never thought you would be here, sprawled on a bed with him at your side, exposed to the world. You're just the damaged Weasley child – what do you have to offer to someone like him?

But the jarring contrast between the two of you, dark and light, is one that you could never have thought up in a dream.

(You can't help but think it's ironic that the true story is actually the complete opposite of the one your bodies tell)

And when you fall asleep, it's to a sound that you could never have conjured up in imagination – his voice whispering _percypercypercy_.


	7. Larger Than Life - unrequited NevHarry

**This chapter has been entered in The Ultimate Pairing Drabble Competition.**

**Pairing: Neville/Harry**

**Word Count: 327**

**Prompt: larger than life**

**This chapter has also been entered into the If You Dare Challenge (420. Problematic) and the Popular Song Competition (I Will Wait)**

* * *

_HarryPotterBoyWhoLivedChosenOne_

Those were the words that Neville Longbottom had grown up with, a reminder of just who was to thank for the freedom of their world.

It was the one thing that his Gran had constantly drilled into his head – the boy hero was his age and he had defeated Voldemort, which meant that Neville had no excuse for not being as spectacular as his grandmother wished him to be.

It wasn't any surprise that he had grown up resenting the mythical boy.

_HarryPotterGryffindor_

And then he'd actually met Harry.

Harry, who was nothing like the selfish, self-centered boy Neville had always imagined him to be. Harry, who had this unconscious way of drawing people in, of making them want to be better than who they were.

Neville wanted Harry's friendship more than anything he had ever wished for. but it wasn't surprising that he looked over the Longbottom heir – Neville could never be good enough for Harry.

And Harry was still better than Neville could ever hope to be, but he wasn't someone to be resented anymore.

Suddenly, he could see why so many people worshipped him.

_HarryHarryHarryHarry_

It didn't take Neville long to realise that he was attracted to boys. After all, if accidently walking into the girls' bathroom and catching a glimpse of a half-naked Ginny Weasley didn't do anything for him, then there was no way any girl would.

And Harry was always around him, something that was both a drawback and an advantage of sharing a dorm with him. Because with Harry around, how could Neville ever think of being attracted to or falling in love with anyone else?

Harry was perfect, and everyone else paled in comparison to him.

Neville knew that there would never be anything more than friendship between the two of them. Harry was flawless, larger than life, and Neville was nothing more than a pale follower.

But that would never stop Neville Longbottom from loving Harry Potter.


	8. Desperation - RegulusRemus

**For Camp Potter (History Appreciation - Write about Regulus Black); the Out of Your Comfort Zone Competition (RegulusRemus and reckless); the If You Dare Challenge (291. Real-life); the Slash/Femmeslash Bootcamp (40. Key); the Globetrotter Drabble Competition (Montreal, Canada) and the Legendary Creatures Competition (Kiyohime)**

* * *

"Hello Remus," Regulus purrs.

And Remus lunges, and suddenly, they're a mass of clashing teeth and exploring tongues.

* * *

The two of them, they aren't these people. Not really.

They aren't the reckless risk-takers who meet up with secret lovers in the middle of the night in abandoned corridors. Hell, they aren't even the people who fall in love with the wrong person, the one from a different house or side of the war.

No, they're the carful ones. The ones who fall in love with the right people, the people no one will curse them for loving.

It should be easy after that. A fairytale, and wandering off into the sunset with their respective knight in shining armour.

Only, the thing is, real life doesn't work that way, does it?

Remus Lupin falls in love with Sirius Black. It's a cliché, falling in love with your best friend, but that's just the way that life is.

But clichés end with requited love, and Sirius isn't in love with Remus. He's straight, and just so happens to be in love with James Potter.

Life isn't fair.

Barty Crouch is the Slytherin golden boy, and everyone is half in love with him. Regulus is just like everyone else, only he's not half in love with Barty, his heart belongs to the other boy utterly and completely.

But Barty Crouch is a player who never falls in love, and Regulus Black has a fragile, firefly heart which he refuses to allow Barty to shatter and extinguish.

Not everyone can appreciate true love.

And so two lonely, loveless boys meet and come up with a way to starve of the loneliness, if only for a moment longer.

Because Regulus looks exactly like a younger Sirius, and Remus' kindness is exactly what Regulus craves from Barty.

They don't love each other. Neither holds the key to the other's heart; they have no illusions about that fact.

But every time Sirius' lovesick looks at James stab a knife through Remus' heart or watching Barty with his partner of the week shatters Regulus into tinier pieces, they take the risks they never would otherwise.

They're not the people they become when they meet each other, but then, that's the thing about life. It forces you to be someone you never would be otherwise.

* * *

"I'll meet you tomorrow," Remus whispers as he and Regulus straighten their clothes and head their separate ways.

"Is it wrong for me to hope that we don't have to?" Regulus whispers as Remus turns.

"Never," Remus replies with a heartbroken smile. "We live in hope, don't we, the fools that we are?"

Because that's the thing about hope. It demands to be felt.

* * *

**I hope guys like this! Please don't forget to drop a review on your way out :)  
**


	9. pretend - DudleyPiers

**For Camp Potter (First Aid - write a fic using the prompts tremble, in the shadows and fragile) and the If You Dare Challenge (33. Ugly Clutch)**

_For Amber - you're the reason I ship these two. I hope you enjoy :)_

* * *

_cedriccedriccedric_

that's what the freak screams in the dark of the night

and you feel jealous

not of the unknown cedric

_(you pity him_

_it must be torture to have the attention of the __**freak**__)_

no, you're jealous of the fact that the freak can scream out that name in the dark of the night

and not feel the slightest bit ashamed

there's nothing you wouldn't give to be able to scream out

_pierspierspiers_

and not care the slightest bit

what the rest of the world thinks

instead you're hiding in the shadows

refusing to let the world see what you feel

/

you spend nearly every day with him

_pierspierspiers_

your best friend

(which only means you cannot tell him

the thought of losing him makes you tremble)

because no matter what you like the pretend

when it comes to him

well, you're nothing more than

_fragilefragilefragile_

the way your mother talks about

/

sometimes you think you

see him looking back

whispering

_dudleydudleydudley_

but you're too much of a coward to check

so you continue the way you always have

_watchingwatchingwatching_

and hoping that one day

you'll finally find the courage

to set your feelings free


	10. Today - RegulusBarty

**For the If You Dare Challenge (595. Change of Mind); the Triwizard Competition (Pairing: RegBarty, Quote: You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face." -Eleanor Roosevelt, Word: flying, Dialogue: "I don't need your help") and the Popular Song Competition (One Last Kiss).**

_For Paula, because let's face it - she's the reason I ship these two. I hope you don't mind the fact that I fluffed up RegBarty Paula!_

* * *

Regulus was fourteen when he was first approached. He was a Black, an obvious choice.

They tried to paint his world with lies.

_It's a way to purify our world_, they whispered. _We won't attack people from wizarding bloodlines, only the dirtypolluting Muggle ones. You won't even have to do anything, just give our cause money. We won't expect anything more from you. _

_We don't want to kill anyone_, they said. _We just want the Mudbloods to go back to their own world and stop polluting ours. The newspapers you've read are just propaganda, Dumbledore trying to lie to you._

A year ago, he would have believed them. A year ago, he would have joined without hesitation.

A year ago, he would have been too afraid to say no.

But life moves forward, and things change.

A year ago, Regulus met a brown haired boy named Barty, one year older than. A year minus a day ago, they became friends.

Eleven months ago, he fell in love with Barty Crouch Jr.

Six months ago, Barty walked up to him and kissed him. Six months ago, the two of them started dating.

Three months ago, he started talking to his brother again.

Yesterday, he owled his parents to tell them that he would never be the perfect Slytherin they wanted. Yesterday, he asked them to disown him.

A year ago, Regulus Black had nothing.

Today, Regulus Black had a boyfriend he was madly in love with, a boyfriend who loved him back just as much and with whom he planned on spending the rest of his life.

Today, Regulus Black had a boyfriend who cared enough about him to convince him to regain contact with the one member of his family who actually cared about him. Today, Regulus Black had a home he was planning on going to with his brother for the holidays.

Today, Regulus Black was worth so much more than his family name.

So even though he was still as afraid as he would have been a year ago, today, Regulus Black looked them in the eye and told them no.

* * *

Today, they approached Barty, whispering their lies.

_We'll help you get back at him_, they whispered. _We'll make him suffer for ignoring you._

_Your father shouldn't treat you like you're the least important thing in his life_, they whisper. _We'll make him see that he's wrong, that you're worth more than he can ever imagine. We'll make him see that being in Slytherin isn't a bad thing; it's the best thing that could ever have happened to you._

A year ago, Barty would have accepted eagerly. A year ago, he would have done anything if it meant making his father see that Barty wasn't as useless as he thought he was.

But that was a year ago, and things never remain the same for a whole year.

A year ago, Barty stumbled into a Slytherin boy a year younger than him. A year minus one day ago, that boy decided that the two of them were going to be the best of friends.

A year minus one day ago, Barty Crouch Jr fell madly, inexplicably, crazily in love.

Eight months ago, he told Regulus all about his family situation.

Six months ago, he finally worked up the nerve to approach Regulus and kiss him. Six months ago, Regulus kissed him back, making him the happiest person alive.

Three months ago, he finally convinced Regulus that houses meant nothing as long as he had one family member who still cared about him. Three months ago, he finally convinced Regulus to start talking to his brother again.

Two weeks ago, Sirius invited him and Regulus to spend the summer running away from their families to the Potter's home. Two weeks ago, he owled his father to tell him he wasn't returning for the summer.

Two days ago, his father told him he didn't care, and Barty couldn't have been less bothered.

A year ago, Barty Crouch Jr would have jumped at a chance to prove that he _could_ be someone important. A year ago, Barty Crouch Jr would have jumped at a chance to prove his father wrong.

But today was completely different. Today, he had a boyfried who loved him just as much as he loved Regulus and a place to go that wasn't home.

Today, Barty Crouch Jr had so much more to look forward to than his father's downfall.

So he looked them in the eye and said, "I don't need your help."

* * *

A year ago, if the Death Eaters in Hogwarts had asked Barty Crouch Jr or Regulus Black to join their ranks, they would have gone flying to them in their eagerness.

But the thing about the wheel of time is that it never stops, never halts. And a spin of the wheel can change – everything.

A year ago, Barty Crouch Jr and Regulus Black would have given anything to be Death Eaters. But a year ago, Barty Crouch Jr and Regulus Black did not know the other person existed.

And so the two of them stumbling into each other changed the course of the future. And in the long run, for the big picture, it changed nothing at all.

But for the two of them, that little stumble made all the difference in the world.

* * *

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**


	11. Opposites Attract - DracoCharlie

**For Camp Potter (Fireworks Show - write a CharlieDraco fic); the Slash/Femmeslash Bootcamp (6. Sarcastic) and the If You Dare Challenge (709. Clouded Mind).**

_For Serena._

* * *

Here's the thing about Draco – he's snarky, he's sarcastic, and he happens to have a strong case of self-loathing. After all, being forced to side with a genocidal maniac in the greatest war in recorded history had to leave some sort of a mark, and with Draco, it's that it completely tore down his wealthy, entitled, confident persona, and left him sure that he'll never be worth anything.

People don't recover from the type of mistakes he's made.

* * *

Here's the thing about Charlie – he's a bit of a daredevil who likes to live life on the edge. No one becomes a dragon handler if they don't possess those qualities. The specifics of his job also happen to make him a bit of an idiot – that's another requisite for being mad over dragons.

But more than anything, he's loyal and faithful and courageous. After all, he's a Gryffindor and a Weasley, and those are qualities that have been instilled in him since he was born.

So it's pretty obvious that he sides with the side of the Light in the aforementioned war. It should also be obvious that he doesn't have regrets like Draco does, but well, that's wrong.

He regrets a lot of things. He regrets not being in England and spending more time with his family. He regrets not being able to recruit more people for the Order. But most of all, he regrets that he wasn't able to arrive at Hogwarts until after his little brother had been killed. Maybe – but he can't live on maybes, so lives on his regrets.

Draco Malfoy and Charlie Weasley are nothing like each other. At all.

So everything that actually happens between them shocks the world.

* * *

It starts with a meeting.

Kingsley Shacklebolt and Minerva McGonagall had started a support group for the survivors of the war, the ones who still are still hurt and haunted. It was a concept they had borrowed from the Muggles, and though it had been met with doubt and veiled scorn at first, the support of two of the most influential people in the wizarding world combined with Hermione convincing Harry to attend a couple of sessions had convinced most people.

Not normally people who would be caught dead in _therapy_, Charlie and Draco found that they were rather useless at arguing with their mothers.

Which was how they met.

The counsellor – or whatever her title was, Draco had never bothered to actually learn it – had decided that they needed to _share_ their _feelings_ with each other, and so had decided to break them into pairs.

Of course, Draco ended up with the one person more likely to be his enemy than anyone else in the room – the bloody Weasley brother who had decided to come in at the same time as Draco.

Draco shot the woman a glare. She was way too perky to have ever known any loss or hardship, and if that wasn't enough to annoy Draco, she clearly had it out for him.

Of course, Draco had never expected that somewhere between a growled out, "Malfoy" and a snarled, "Weasley," he'd manage to become best friends with the ginger idiot.

But – Weasley- Charlie- he doesn't hate him the way Draco expected him to. Hell, after that first growl, he doesn't act anything but nice and friendly towards him. And when Draco asks, the only reply he gets is that everyone deserves a second chance, and if Snape could get one even though he was partly the cause that Harry's parents are dead, Draco could get one for being indoctrinated from birth.

And when there's barely anyone left in your life who treats you like you're worth something, it really isn't that hard to fall in love with them.

Which is exactly what happened to Draco. Because Charlie Weasley was _good_ and _right_ and _gorgeous_, but most of all – he didn't care. He didn't care about anything that Draco had done – only what he could do.

It's sort of terrifying, falling in love with your best friend, especially if he's one of the only friends you had left. There's a part of Draco that really, really wants nothing more than to ignore it and pretend like he felt nothing, but Charlie had changed him. He'd taught Draco about being courageous and brave, and Draco wasn't about to betray him by being to cowardly to speak up.

So he does. He walks up to Charlie, heart in hand, and offers it to him.

He's sure he's going to be rebuffed – it's one thing to be friends with an ex-Death Eater, completely another to date him – but he promised Charlie that he wouldn't hide himself any longer.

And then Charlie kisses him, and takes the heart Draco offers and replaces it with his own.

And all Draco can think is maybe that woman wasn't such an idiot after all.

Because Draco Malfoy and Charlie Weasley might be polar opposites to each other, but there's a reason that opposites attach is a cliché.

* * *

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	12. Bahaman Vacation - NevilleLuna

**For the Globetrotter Drabble Competition (Cairo, Egypt), the 10 topic 10 drabbles challenge (NevilleLuna) and the If You Dare Challenge (300. Lost in the Jungle)**

* * *

Neville looked ahead mournfully. He had half a mind to protest – the two of them had left behind a gorgeous beach and the clear, sparkling sea to trek through the forest – but the look on Luna's face made him pause.

As much as he wasn't entirely happy with their vacation to the Bahamas being hijacked by Luna's search for Nargles, especially when he knew Ron and Harry would annoy him about it when they returned to the hotel, he had never been able to deny Luna something that made her happy. And the look of joy on her face was not something he would willingly destroy by forcing her return.

So when she cried out, "Neville! Come look at this!" he only sighed very softly before trekking over to join her.

* * *

**I hope you guys like this! Please don't forget to drop a review on your way out :)  
**


	13. Hand in Hand - AlbusScorpius

**For Camp Potter (Tech Discovery - write about Scorpius Malfoy), the 10 topics, 10 drabbles competition (Slash character - Scorpius Malfoy), the Globetrotter Drabble Competition (Reykjavik, Iceland) and the If Dare Challenge (391. Without Much Hope)**

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Albus asked him doubtfully.

"I'm _sure_, Al," Scorpius laughed. "I've already told you a million times! Besides, it's not like they won't know if we don't do it – I'm sure you remember the letters we sent?"

"Yes, but if we walk out onto the Platform holding hands, I'll be able to hold them at bay for ever lesser time than I had originally warned you about. Dad says _everyone_ from the family who isn't at Hogwarts has found some reason to meet us at the Platform today, and you really don't want to do anything that will compel us Weasleys to become even more excitable than we already are."

Scorpius simply continued to laugh at his paranoid boyfriend. "Al, it's going to be okay. I would imagine your family would be confused and therefore more excitable if two people who happen to be dating _didn't_ walk out holding hands. At least this way they'll be happy instead of confused and, knowing Rose's dad, slightly antagonistic."

"You do realise how much a cliché this is going to be, right?" Albus groaned, dropping his head on Scorpius' shoulder. "Walking out of the smoke, hand in hand? I'm _never_ going to live this down!"

"You'll survive," Scorpius said unsympathetically. He bent down to drop a kiss on Albus' forehead, before poking him in the ribs. "Now come on, we've reached."

* * *

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	14. Moving On - MollyArthur

**For the 10 topics, 10 drabble challenge (grief); the Globetrotter Drabble Competition (Jerusalem, Israel); the If You Dare Challenge (527. A Lost Book); the Pairing Diversity Bootcamp (49. Phlox) and the Legendary Creatures Competition (Dawon)**

_For Anna - this is my first time attempting MollyArthur, and I hope I haven't messed it up completely._

* * *

Molly stroked the patch of grass she was kneeling in front of tenderly. She had just laid of bouquet of purple flowers on that spot, and was moments away from breaking into tears.

"Oh Fred," she whispered in a grief filled voice. "It's been ten years since I lost you, and I still miss you like it was yesterday. There's no one here who can take the place of my third oldest child, and when you left us, it was like you ripped a hole in the fabric of our family. And George- oh, for the longest time I thought we were going to lose him too. If it weren't for Lee, I don't know what would have happened to him. I wish-"

"He wouldn't want you to still be grieving, you know," her husband's interrupted her.

"I know Arthur," she said tearfully as she turned to bury her face in his chest. "I just don't know how to move on. Every time I come here, I'm just reminded all over again that Fred's never coming back."

Arthur bent down to kiss her on the forehead. "Why don't you try to tell him the good that has happened to our family over the past year?"

"I'll try," Molly said, tears still welling up in her eyes as she turned to face the grave of her lost child.

"Lee and George adopted a baby boy a few months ago. He looks exactly like a Weasley, complete with the red hair and freckles. They're calling him Fred…"

* * *

**Please don't forget to leave a review on your way out :)  
**


	15. First Loves - BlaiseDaphne

**For the 10 themes, 10 drabbles challenge (Write a Romance); the Globetrotter Drabble Competition (Paris, France); the Legendary Creatures Competition (****Amefurikozou) and the If You Dare Challenge (630. Innocent Love)**

* * *

They were the extras, the disposable ones to the rest of the school.

Few people outside Slytherin even knew that Blaise Zabini and Daphne Greengrass existed. It didn't matter that Blaise and Draco were closer than Draco was to those goons of his, or that Daphne was the gorgeous counterpart to Pansy's ugliness. The fact that they didn't act out like their classmates meant that it was only the people who shared a Common Room with them daily who noticed them.

If you asked their fellow Slytherins, they would say the rest of the school was lucky for its obliviousness.

Blaise Zabini fell in love with Daphne Greengrass the first time he met her, when they were both seven. He had just arrived in England to his mother following his Italian father's death, and she was one of the few children his age he had met.

Even at such a young age, Daphne had been a beauty, and the sight of her had convinced a naïve Blaise that he was looking at an angel. He had followed her around for the rest of the ball, and before the Greengrasses left, had made sure that their parents had a betrothal contract written up for the two of them.

Not that Daphne minded. In the few hours since she had first met him, she already found the dark-skinned boy endlessly more fascinating than Draco Malfoy, who her parents wanted to marry her to, and she already knew that unlike with Draco, she had the capability to fall in love with Blaise.

By the time they came to Hogwarts, they were inseparable and irreconcilably in love. Everyone had thought that childish cuddles and hesitant kisses was the worst they could get when being sickeningly sweet – that was, until they hit puberty.

Now – well, now, it was accepted practice in the Slytherin Common Room to give Blaise's dormitory a wide berth when the two of them were in there together. After all, it was easier for a person's sanity to have a set of clothes in another dorm when chased out of their own than to be subjected to Blaise and Daphne.

* * *

**I hope you guys liked this! As always, please don;t forget to drop a review on your way out :)  
**


	16. One Last Visit - AlbusGellert

**For Camp Potter (First Aid - write an angst piece using the prompts forgive me, damage and warning signs); the Apprentice Competition (word: mischievous, quote: "The world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters. We all have light and dark within us." -Sirius Black, song: Lights, by Ellie Goulding, specifically the line _And I'm not sleeping now, the dark is too hard to beat_, genre: romance and setting: the dungeons of Hogwarts); the If You Dare Challenge (541. Words Unspoken); the Pairing Diversity Bootcamp (7. antiques); the Fantastic beasts Challenge (Fwooper) and the Legendary Creatures Competition (Siren).**

* * *

He knew he was dying.

He knew that every breath he took could well be his last. There was a reason he had asked Severus to kill him. If he hadn't been dying a slow, painful death, Draco Malfoy would be someone whose soul he wouldn't have had to worry about.

But he barely had a year of life left, a lifetime worth of things to do, and no matter how callous it sounded, the last thing he had time for was the soul of a young man who required far more work than he could give.

There were a million different things he wished he could have done in his lifetime. Flooded the dungeons like he did when he was twelve, stopped Tom Riddle from turning dark, helped the Death Eaters who had no choice – but those weren't wishes and desires he could fulfil.

If he had a bucket list of things to do before he die like the Muggles sometimes do, there would be only one thing that he could maybe achieve before he died.

Gellert.

The world remembered him as the Dark Lord Grindelwald who terrorized witches and wizards around the globe, and he as the champion who defeated him.

He?

He remembered him as the boy he was, with the mischievous twinkle in his eyes and the burning desire to fix the injustices of the wizarding world.

Gellert was…Gellert just _was_.

That was why he kept up his weekly visits to Nurmengrad. Of all the people he had met in his long life, it had only ever been Gellert who had had the ability to turn his head, and he wasn't going to die without letting the other man know.

"Hello Albus," a weathered voice said, breaking through his thoughts. "This is an unexpected visit."

"Hello Gellert," he replied, seating himself on the stone floor of the prison. Gellert mirrored him on the other side of the bars. This was the way they always liked to talk, face to face as equals. "Forgive me for the inconvenience, but I'm afraid I don't exactly bring good news with me."

Gellert looked at him with his inscrutable dark eyes for a few uncomfortable moments, almost as though he was staring into Albus' soul. "Tell me," he said eventually.

Breaking tradition, Albus pulled himself up, flicking open the iron door in front with his wand as he did so. "I'm dying," he said heavily, walking in to stand in front of his best friend, the man he loved more than anything in the world, for the first time in nearly a year. They were only granted the ability to touch each other once a year, and had it not been for the fact that Albus had no idea if he would be able to return next week, he would never have risked the loss of that privilege, along with those that allowed him to visit Gellert in the first place, by doing something so uncharacteristic.

Not that they ever had to stop him from doing so. Albus, of all people knew the damage that an unchained Gellert could do, and he had did not trust himself to be able to read the warning signs that said Gellert was becoming unstable once again. He refused to make that mistake again.

But this was a special case, and this news had to be said standing far closer to him than iron bars could allow.

Gellert didn't reply or react to his words, instead reaching out to touch him gently on the cheek.

They had never needed words anyways.

Albus turned his face into Gellert's touch, laying a faint kiss on his palm as he let slip the first tears he had cried over the life the two of them could have lived.

* * *

**I hope you guys liked it! As always, please don't forget to drop a review :)**


	17. fly - GodricSalazar

**For Camp Potter (Arts and Crafts - write a freeverse using the prompts tangled, meant for more, evidence); the If You Dare Challenge (509. Love); the Slash/Femmeslash Bootcamp (31. Staircase) and the Wand Wood Competition (Yew)**

_For Sam, because she's the one who encouraged me to try writing Founders in the first place._

* * *

they meet

…

they're two forces of nature,  
the wind and the sea  
who cannot survive without the other  
(they don't even want to try)

…

they're titans_**giants**_supermen  
rulers of the world  
they're supposed_**meant**_expected to be  
its guardians  
(but they're so much greater  
meant for so much more  
than the petty little world  
with its petty little rules)

…

they're a tangled up mess  
the lion and the snake  
creatures that never should meet  
(but they had always been the ones  
who went where others feared to go)

…

the two of them  
godric and salazar  
keep things quiet  
make sure not to drop little pieces of  
e.v.i.d.e.n.c.e  
(because muggles are just so closed minded  
and lions and snake  
or two men  
aren't supposed to be entangled the way they are)

…

they jump  
off the staircases that hold them  
and  
then they _**fly**_  
quietly  
in the dark of the night  
higher

ever  
high…  
…er

…

they're a tangled up  
whirling_**swirling**_spiralling mess  
the lion and the snake  
godric and salazar  
two polar opposites  
and yet perfectly in sync

…

they're the last two people  
who should ever_**ever**_ever be together  
but even though  
they defy understanding_**knowledge**_comprehension  
in their own way  
they're also  
a  
stunning_**beautiful**_gorgeous  
meld of souls  
(what the muggles don't know  
won't ever hurt them  
in a castle  
they let themselves

**free**)

* * *

**I hope you guys liked this! As always, please don't forget to drop a review on your way out :)**


	18. Let Loose - ScorpiusLily

**For Camp Potter (Tech Discovery - write about Lily Luna Potter); the Ultimate Pairing Drabble Competition (prompt: busy; word count: 501); the Travel Go Challenge (pairing: Scorpius/Lily; word: lights; song: 'We Are Young' by Fun); the Globetrotter Drabble Competition (Rio de Janiero, Brazil); the If You Dare Challenge (529. A Midnight Dance) and the Song Fic Bootcamp (song/prompt: 13. 'We Are Young' by Fun)**

**This fic has been inspired by the song 'We are Young' by Fun, both in the general feel of it and by the lines _"And you feel like falling down / I'll carry you home tonight"_**

* * *

"Why did you drag me here again, Lily?" Scorpius called out over the blare and beat of the loud music.

"You need to lighten up sometimes, Scor!" his girlfriend laughed, throwing her head back against his chest as she moved to the music at a speed that Scorpius would not have thought possible had he not been seeing it in front of his eyes. "You're always so busy with studying for your NEWTS, I thought you could use the opportunity to let loose a bit!"

"And you thought that this was the answer? A Muggle club? I'm not even sure how you convinced your father to let you come here in the first place…" Scorpius retorted. However, he was unable to resist the lure of the flashing lights and the thump of the music. That, combined with the way his gorgeous girlfriend was dancing in front of him, resulted in him starting to move along with the beat despite himself.

"Silly Scorpius," Lily said, laughter dancing in her eyes as she turned to face Scorpius, throwing her arms around his neck. "This isn't exactly a normal Muggle club! No one over the age of eighteen is allowed in here – it's strictly for those who aren't adults yet in the Muggle world. Once Dad heard that, he had no reason to stop me from going! Besides, Mum was on my side!"

Looking down at Lily's flushed and happy face, his girlfriend obviously high on the music and the cheerful atmosphere inside the club, Scorpius could feel his arguments slipping away from him. He had always been weak where Lily's happiness was concerned, and he was loath to fight the energy here when it was a large part of what had put that look on her face.

"You owe me for this," he pretended to grumble and he allowed Lily to pull him further into the dance floor. Apparently their position right at the edge of it wasn't enough for her, and as long as she kept on looking that happy, he was okay with whatever she coaxed him to do.

* * *

It was nearly two hours before Lily let him leave the dance floor. Both of them were exhausted by the time they reached the comfortable couches the club had arranged in a corner for patrons to rest in, and they nearly collapsed on the nearest sofas.

"That was so much fun," Lily mumbled, a huge yawn escaping her as she burrowed into Scorpius. "We should really do this again sometimes."

"Of course," Scorpius murmured, staring fondly at his half-asleep girlfriend. Knowing her, he was going to have to carry her out of the club and apparate with her in his arms – once she fell asleep, it was doubtful that even an earthquake would be capable of waking her before she wanted to get up.

But the happy look she had worn all night and the joy she had seemed to get in the freedom of dance made it all worth it.

* * *

**I hope you guys liked it! Please don't forget to drop a review on your way out :)**


	19. Come Back To Me - RemusTonks

**For the Ultimate Pairing Drabble Competition (prompt: teddy bear; word count: 537); the Travel Go Challenge (pairing: remustonks; word: angel; mood: hollywood); the If You Dare Challenge (701. Magic Is Back); the Globetrotter Drabble Competition (Cairo, Egypt); the Pairing Set Bootcamp Challenge (8. Remus/Tonks) and the Fantastic Beasts Challenge (Nogtail)**

* * *

It had all seemed so perfect.

Sure, it had taken her time, but she had finally gotten Remus to cave and date her. He'd even proposed! And then she'd gotten pregnant and it had seemed like everything was okay with the world, even though they were in the middle of a war they seemed to be loosing.

She had Remus and her unborn angel, and that was all she had ever really wanted or needed in her life.

But of course, the fates had never exactly been kind to her, had they?

All the evidence she needed of the fact was there in the broken pieces of her life that were staring at her. Remus had run away, and she had been left shattered, with nothing but a child in her stomach and red and gold teddy bear to show that he had ever been there in the first place.

She should have been angry and raging mad at him, but all she was, was depressed. She should have seen the signs that he was having difficulty coping with everything that had changed in his life. She should have found something to say, some way to soothe him, so that he wouldn't have felt the need to run.

Most women would advise her never to forgive if he did return someday, to hold on to her sadness and feed it with hatred just so he would feel the pain he had put her through, but she knew that if he ever did come back to her, she would hold him tight and never let him go again.

Remus was the love of her life, and she couldn't really care about the pain he put her through. As long as she was in his arms, none of it mattered anyway.

But she doubted he would come back before the end of the war. He was terrified that he was a danger to their child, and she knew that unless she found and convinced him to return, there was almost no chance he would. And she didn't dare venture out of her home while she was pregnant – she was taking no chances with her child – so their reunion would most likely have to wait.

And then – then, somehow, he _returned_.

It was another normal day for her, stuck at home and wishing he was there, when she heard a tentative knock on the door of her room.

For a moment, she was terrified. Her mother would never knock, not now that Remus was gone, and there was no one else who visited her.

But common sense prevailed – it was hardly likely that a Death Eater would _knock_ before entering.

"Come in," she called out, still careful.

And the door opened, and there he was, standing and staring at her with a sheepish, guilty look on his face.

He opened his mouth to say something – probably to apologise – but…well, it had been so long since she had last seen him that she couldn't help but fling herself upon him.

There was no need for apologies, not when it was him and her.

He was back, and as she pulled his lips to hers, she knew that was all she needed.

* * *

**As always, I hope you enjoyed! And please don't forget to drop a review on your way out :)**


	20. White Monarch Butterfly - GeorgeLuna

**For the Fanon Pairings Competition (pairing: georgeluna; word: butterfly; phrase: "he's not coming back, George"; colour: blue; song: _'lego house' by ed sheeran,_ specifically the lines _"And it's dark in a cold December, but I've got you to keep me warm / If you're broken I will mend you and I'll keep you sheltered from the storm that's raging on now"_); the If You Dare Challenge (639. Empty Thought); the Pairing Diversity Bootcamp (24. jester) and the Song Fic Bootcamp (song: 'lego house' by ed sheeran; 44. heartbroken) **

* * *

The blonde-haired girl in front of him danced fearlessly in the rain.

But then, she had never been one to care about who saw her acting childishly or what people thought of her.

Theirs was a rather odd love story, to say the least. The jester and the dreamer, not so much opposite as much as two parallel lines that would never meet.

Or at least, they shouldn't have met.

But then, she had been the only one strong enough to make him face the truth after the war.

It was rather ironic when he thought about it. His entire family was from Gryffindor, yet they were the ones who had tread softly and gently around him as he moped for the lost piece of his soul, too afraid to say anything that might break him further. His parents had babied him; his elder brothers had tried to convince him to joke and laugh again, and the rest of the people he knew had taken to talking in whispers and hushed voices when he was around. The entire world had decided that he was like a piece of porcelain that would break if even the slightest bit of pressure were applied to it.

And then she had come, a blue plant she called a Fluttering Firefly bush in hand. To keep the good memories alive, she had said. To make sure that Fred's laughter was never forgotten.

His mother had burst into tears and hadn't let her go for nearly half an hour.

But as soon as she had spied a glimpse of him, withdrawn and broken, she had decided to make him her new project. She had been determined to bring him to life again, and it was she, a Ravenclaw, who had had the courage to tell him, _"He's gone, George. He's not coming back, and he wouldn't want to you to live like this," _to make him face the truth.

It had been her who had forced him to reopen Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes, telling him that work would take help to his mind off of the memory of his twin's body.

She had been right, of course. Returning to shop had helped, even if it had simultaneously reminded him of the fact that Fred was gone. The Burrow reminded him of Fred's death, the shop of his life. It had been so much easier to recover once he was out of his childhood home.

But even after he had started to recover, she continued to come to visit him. Instead of odd plants and creatures, now she bought with her chocolates and photographs, little items designed to make him smile.

And despite himself, he found himself falling deeply in love with her.

She was like a White Monarch Butterfly, he thought, oddly coloured and yet beautiful all the same, fluttering from place to place, bringing happiness and healing wherever she went.

Maybe they were an unusual pair, but in a way, they were perfect for each other; two unique people in a world that rarely appreciated individuality.

Asking her out – asking her out had been the greatest risk he had taken in his life. He was still fragile, and had she said no, he had no doubt he would have fallen and shattered upon impact.

But she had simply smiled, and told him to meet her at The Savoy River Restaurant in Muggle London.

She had always been full of surprises.

Luna Lovegood was a precious creature, the only person who had been able to mend all his broken pieces. He would never be as complete as he once had been, but she didn't care. She loved him as he was, spell-o-taped together with pieces missing.

The world might have seen her strange and odd, but that was okay with him. All that meant was that there was no better man who would attempt to steal her away from him.

If he could keep her forever, it still wouldn't be long enough for him.

"George? Are you coming?" a musical voice asked, breaking into his thoughts.

He looked up to see her in all her beautiful glory, a hand held out towards him, looking like an angel beckoning him to heaven.

"Of course," he murmured, throwing him a smile. He wasn't about to waste a moment that he could spend with her. That much, he had learned.

A person didn't let a precious jewel out of his sight, and that was what Luna was for him – precious and irreplaceable, the woman he would spend the rest of his life with.

So he got up and went to dance with her in the rain, allowing her smile to remind him that even though he had lost a piece of his soul, he had gained another to help fill the gaping hole in him.

* * *

**I hope you guys liked it! As always, please don't forget to drop a review on your way out :)**


	21. Dancing In The Rain - AlScor

**For the Chocolate Frogs Competition (emotion: giddiness; location: Burrow; song 'Happy,' Leona Lewis, specifically the lines "Holding on tightly / Just can't let it go"); the Rainy Days Drabble Challenge (AlScor); the If You Dare Challenge (504. Rain) and the Song Fic Bootcamp (song: 'Happy,' Leona Lewis; 30. jump)**

_For Uni :3_

* * *

"Boys! Come back in!" Grandma Weasley's voice came from the silvery animal. "It's about to start raining!"

* * *

Arthur and Molly Weasley were the type of grandparents who doted on their grandchildren, willing to give in to their every desire. After all, as Molly had often been heard saying, grandchildren were nature's way of allowing parents to give their children the grief they had given them.

So it wasn't any surprise that they enjoyed having as many grandchildren in the Burrow as possible. And Molly Weasley, being the loving mother that she was, was more than happy to welcome them into the fold.

Even if those friends just so happened to be Scorpius Malfoy.

* * *

Albus waved his wand lazily, his own Patronus erupting from his wand. "Tell Grandma not to worry, and that we'll be fine," he murmured before sending the animal on its way.

Scorpius turned, supporting his weight on one arm, and looked at Albus. The two boys were lying in the middle of the grass on the little hill near the Burrow. "Why exactly are we staying out in the open when we know it's about to start pouring in a moment?" he asked the brunet archly.

"Just wait for a few moments," Albus replied, flashing Scorpius a charming grin. "I promise you'll see why I enjoy the rain so much."

"I still think you're an idiot, and I'm a bigger one for agreeing to this with you, but fine," Scorpius said resignedly. "Whatever you say."

The boys waited for a few moments, Scorpius drumming his fingers against the ground impatiently. And then, with a thunderous roar, the skies burst open.

In a blink of an eye, Albus had leaped to his feet, pulling Scorpius up with him. As his friend watched bemusedly, Albus let out a giddy laugh, spinning around in the rain in sheer bliss.

"What is _wrong_ with you?" Scorpius asked in confusion.

Albus paused in his odd dance, and grabbed Scorpius' hands. "Come on!" he exclaimed, forcing Scorpius to spin around with him.

After a couple of seconds, Scorpius forced him to stop. "I still don't get it," he complained, looking at Albus from under drenched hair which was sticking to his forehead. A quick glance of the blond boy revealed that he was soaked to bone, and, unlike Al, emphatically _not_ enjoying it.

Looking at the shivering boy, Al sobered up quickly, stepping close to Scorpius and hugging him. "I'm sorry," he murmured, "We can go back if you'd like."

"N-No, it's okay," Scorpius replied, shivers becoming lesser as Albus' warmth reached him. "You're enjoying it here; I don't want to force you to leave."

Looking down at his best friend, all Albus could think was that Scorpius looked heartbreakingly adorable with that earnest expression on his face. He had hidden his attraction to the blond boy very well over the last year, but he couldn't control himself any longer.

Slowly, so as to make sure that Scorpius understood what Albus was about to do, and to give him time to pull away if he wanted to, Albus bent down to press his lips against those of the other boy.

It was meant to be nothing more than a gentle, chaste kiss, but the boys were fifteen, after all. Within moments, it had stopped being innocent and deepened into an exploration of feelings and sensations, the two boys sinking into the new emotions they were experiencing. It was only when the need for air became a pressing matter that they pulled away from each other.

"Suddenly," Scorpius whispered, pressing his forehead against Albus', "I can definitely see the appeal of the rain."

* * *

**I hope you guys liked it! As always, please don't forget to drop a review on your way out :3**


	22. Allegiance - unrequited PeterLily

**For the Triwizard Competition (pairing: Peter/Lily; ****Quote: "The love that lasts the longest is the love that is never returned." –W. Somerset Maugham; ****Word: Hope; Emotion: Desperation); the Pairing Diversity Bootcamp (19. bribe); the If You Dare Challenge (68. Cross-bred) and the 10 Times 10 Challenge (spell: Morsmodre)**

* * *

She was laughing.

It was something Peter had never thought he would have the opportunity to hear. Almost all the time he spent in her presence consisted of James asking her out, and her yelling at James. And now – now he finally had the opportunity to hear her laugh.

That fact should have made him happy, not heartbroken.

But the truth was, as long as Lily Evans was looking at James disdainfully, there was also no chance that she was going to give James' attempts to date her the time of day. It meant that, however stupid, Peter could have some hope that she would one day notice him, the sidekick.

Of course, now that he was listening to her laugh at James' joke, it meant that all of those hopes were dashed to pieces.

Peter Pettigrew had nothing to offer her that James could not. James was the handsome, talented, clever and rich pureblood boy. He had everything in the world to give to Lily, and all Peter had was his love.

And, truth be told, even that could not defeat the love and devotion that James offered Lily.

* * *

It had been nearly two years since James had started dating Lily, and time had not dulled Peter's feelings for the red-heads even the slightest.

"Pete, you still haven't told me what you think!" James exclaimed, drawing Peter from his thoughts. It was sort of ironic, he thought, that was standing and thinking about how much he loved Lily while his best friend was searching for the perfect engagement ring for the same girl.

Two years ago, he had known that he could never have her. But even though he knew that, watching James pick out a ring for the girl he was in love with still sent a stab of agony through his heart.

But Peter was a good friend, not the type of person who would destroy his friend's happiness by letting him know how he felt. So he smiled, pointed at the most exquisite ring he could see, a gorgeous diamond set in dainty gold filigree. "That one," he murmured. "That one will be perfect for her."

None of the other three boys noticed the slightly desolate tone in Peter's voice, instead choosing to gape over the perfection of the ring he had pointed out.

"Thanks, Pete!" James said happily, calling the jeweller over to pack the ring in question.

That was the day that the first seed of hatred was planted in Peter's heart. It was one thing that James had stolen the girl of his dreams – Peter could forgive it, considering the fact that James had no idea that Peter felt that way about Lily. But that day showed him very obviously that none of the three boys who were supposed to be his best friends noticed his moods, thinking only of themselves and each other.

Peter was supposed to be their best friend, but that day made him think that he was nothing more than a disposable follower.

* * *

The wand pointed at his heart made Peter stop breathing for a moment.

He closed his eyes, preparing himself for the end. There was no way that a Death Eater would spare the life of an Order member.

And then…

"Well, well, well," the voice behind the white mask murmured in surprise, "If it isn't Peter Pettigrew. Tell me Peter, did you ever grow tired of being nothing more than a senseless follower for those fools you call your friends?"

"W-What?" Peter blubbered in shock. "How do you know me?"

"Now, now, I'm hurt," the voice replied. Peter could almost _hear_ the smirk in his tone. "We were at Hogwarts together, after all."

"Who are you?" he asked, his voice slightly stronger. It didn't seem like the Death Eater was going to kill him any time soon, and it gave him some confidence.

"That's not important, Pettigrew," the voice said dismissively. "You have potential. If you ever realise what a fool your precious Order is playing you for, well…" The man pulled out a little scrap of parchment from his robes, holding it out towards Peter. "If you ever see the light, all you need to do is say the words 'I pledge my allegiance to the Dark Lord.' You'll be transported to someone who will sort out all the other details."

Peter took the parchment, hand shaking in fear and desperation. Refusing it would undoubtedly result in his death, and that wasn't something he would choose if was given the chance.

"Oh and, Pettigrew?" the man called as he walked away, getting ready to disapparate. "Don't try to use that a way to bring the Order to us. It won't work unless you mean it, and we'll know if you try to use it to help Dumbledore's little band of morons. And trust me, you won't like the consequences."

Before Peter could find a way to reply, the man was gone.

* * *

Peter played with the scrap of parchment he had been given by the unknown Death Eater. The last month had been rough of the Order of the Phoenix and the people on the side of the Light in general.

They had lost Benjy Fenwick and Dorcas Meadows, and if Moody and his Auror trainees had not gotten there in time, they would have lost Fabian Prewett and Marlene MacKinnon too.

The only shard of hope in the dark times had been James and Lily's engagement. At least, it had been for everyone else. For Peter, it had only been another reason to sink into depression and hopelessness.

There was no reason for him to stay with the Order. There was nothing unique for him to contribute, and if the events of the past month were any indication, there was no hope of them winning the war.

Lily…he pictured the beautiful red-head in his mind. If she knew what he was about to do, there was no doubt that she would despise every fibre of his being with a passion. Severus Snape was greatest proof he needed of that.

Had she loved him back, maybe he would have stayed despite every indication that it was a bad choice. But even though he loved her with all he had, she would never return his feelings.

He wasn't needed by the Light.

And if there was one thing that he knew, it was that there was a high chance that she would die during the war. Not even James, with all his talents and riches, would be able to protect her from the Dark Lord – she a Muggleborn, and that was enough to sign her death sentence.

Maybe – maybe if he was able to rise high enough within the Death Eater ranks, he would be able to convince the Dark Lord to let her live. It was the one chance that Peter had to do something for Lily that James was incapable of, likely the only such chance he would get.

(And he couldn't deny that a part of him hoped that James would die at the hands of the Death Eaters. If she saw what he had willingly done for her _after_ such an event, maybe, just maybe…)

Peter would always love Lily, whether that love was returned or not. And the scrap of parchment he held in his hands was not only the best chance he had of saving her life, but also of making sure that he survived the war.

"I pledge my allegiance to the Dark Lord."

* * *

**I hope you guys liked this! please don't forget to drop a review on your way out :3**


	23. Gone - RemusTonks

**For the Opposite Day Challenge (RemusTonks) and Ashleigh's Monthly Competition (RemusTonks)**

_For LauraToo, because she loves RemusTonks more than anyone else she knows :)_

* * *

He was the last one. The only one left, all alone.

It wasn't supposed to be this way. He wass a bloody _werewolf_, for Merlin's sake! He hadn't exactly expected to survive past his early twenties, let alone well into his thirties. And the thought of him surviving his friends had never even entered his mind.

And here he was, the last of the Marauders. Peter – Peter had died the day he had whispered secrets into the Dark Lord's ear, as far as Remus was concerned. James and Lily – he had lost them nearly a lifetime ago, and their loss still stung him every day.

And Sirius.

Sirius, who he had been sure was lost with James and Lily. Sirius, who he had for so long believed to be a traitor.

Sirius, who he had found for a second time against all odds.

Sirius – even when he had been in Azkaban, Remus had had the certainty that he was still alive. And if were being honest with himself, a part of him had always doubted Sirius' guilt.

Sirius, the consummate survivor, was dead. And Remus was now the last of them left.

Remus stared at the wall in front of him with shock. He'd managed to accompany Tonks back from St Mungo's without showing how affected he was, but now that he was alone in his room, everything was finally sinking in.

Sirius-

A knock on the door broke him out of his thoughts. Before he could get up to open the door – or at least let the person on the other side know that he just wasn't in the mood to talk – the door opened, and a woman with bright pink hair stepped through it.

"Hello Remus," Tonks murmured, walking over to the bed and taking a seat beside him.

"Tonks, I'm not-" he began.

"I know you're probably not ready to talk about it yet," she interrupted, "Or ever, really. But- you need to. Sirius-" here she faltered, but continued on after a moment's silence, "Sirius told me you had a hobby of bottling up your feelings. And I don't think he'd forgive me if I let you do that right now."

For some reason, her words annoyed Remus deeply. Had it been any other time, Remus would have thought twice. Would have taken the time to feel bad before he said what he needed to.

But it wasn't any other time, and Sirius had just been killed.

"What do _you_ know?" he hissed, turning to glare at the _girl_ sitting by his side. "You're still wearing _pink_ in your hair, for Merlin's sake! I've lost the only person who still loved me – I've just lost my _brother_, and you haven't lost anything. You barely knew him – HE WAS THE LAST ONE!" Remus screamed, "HE WAS THE LAST OF THEM. THEY'RE DEAD, NYMPHADORA, AND YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT!" he finished, panting by the end.

Tonks just sat there and let him rant. She knew that saying anything in her defence would be useless, while he was in that state, and it was only when he was done that she opened her mouth, moving closer and wrapping her arms around him to comfort him as she talked.

"I won't- I know you didn't mean any of that, so I won't say anything about it,' she began, "But Remus, Sirius wouldn't have wanted you – or anyone, for that matter – to mope over his death. He- He loved the laughter in life," she said, her voice breaking. "He would have wanted his life to be celebrated, not for people to destroy themselves over his death."

"He's gone," Remus said, tears finally falling, and his voice broken, "He's gone, and he's taken the last of the people who loved me with him, Tonks. How can I celebrate his life knowing that?"

"He wasn't the only one," she replied, fighting back her own sorrow to make her voice as soothing as possible. "You still have Molly, Arthur, their kids. From what I hear, you were almost universally loved by the Hogwarts students when you taught. And Albus, Minerva – all the Order members!" she exclaimed. "And Harry – Remus, Harry loves you so much. You're the only one he has left now, Remus, the only one who truly knew his family – the only part of his original family left. He's lost Sirius too. He's just lost his godfather as much as you've lost your brother, and you cannot forget that. And-" here she hesitated for a moment, before ploughing on regardless, "And I love you. I love you so much, Remus, and it kills me to see you doing this to yourself."

When asked later on, Remus wouldn't know what had prompted him to it. But Tonks was sitting there, right next to him, and before he knew it, his lips were on hers and it seemed like her warmth was the only thing that was keeping him alive.

It was Tonks who pulled back first, hand cradling his face as she moved away from him. "I love you," she reiterated in a gentle murmur, "I love you more than anyone else I ever have. But- not right now. Not at this moment. If, later, you still want to, then I'll be here," she said. "Right now- right now, you just need to heal."

Remus leaned towards her, pressing his forehead against hers, and took a deep breath.

Maybe he'd be able to survive this after all.

* * *

**I haven't written this pairing in forever, and I'd be really grateful if you guys could drop off a review on your way out :)  
I really hope you like it! :D**


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